Lengthening Shadows
by DolusMalus
Summary: The Covenant have found Earth, One marine code named Orion and his squad along with the rest of the UNSC Marine Corps are the only hope left for humanity.
1. Chapter 1

**Lengthening Shadows**

**Prologue**

Click.

I wearily opened his eyes only to close them again as a colorful starburst of pain knocked myself out cold.

_Damn the LT is going to kill me._

_Maybe looking around will help._

I opened my eyes once again and examined my surroundings. Purple dimly lit walls.

_Seems to be iridescent._

Click.

_Hey that almost sounds like…_

_Oh Shit…_

I turned my head to the left to see the LT playing with a familiar looking gun in her hands.

"Hey that's my sniper." I said to her. "No Private, it's the UNSC's sniper and don't you forget it." She replied in a toneless voice signifying that she didn't really believe in what she was saying. "Can I have it back then ma'am" I said hopefully. "Not in your condition, have you looked at yourself lately."

I had to admit that I had not. I cast my eyes downward to see a large bandage across most of my torso.

_So that's why breathing hurt so badly._

"Yeah Private you're gonna be spending a few days in the medical bay here on the _Night of Malevolence _that our elite buddies are so gratefully letting us use." "But LT I'm ready to go fight some Loyalist covvies." "You don't understand, Malychev they've found Earth." The LT whispered, and flicked her eyes away to a spot on the wall and stared.

I knew the UNSC couldn't keep the information safe indefinitely but I assumed its secrecy would've been retained for a little longer. Then I realized something. "How long have I been out of it?" "Seven hours since they fought us back at Oxidanus VII. They were encroaching through the Inner Colonies closer and closer."

"Damn" I breathed out slowly. "When will I be released?"

"You should be out and about in around 72 hours, Private. Good thing too, we're going to need everyone we can to repel the Covenant from Earth."

Smirking widely I replied sarcastically "I'll be up in half that LT, and it's nice to know that you care about me."

"Don't test me Private if you weren't wounded I'd smack you right now. Rest." With that last word she stood and left through the sliding doors.

_The sedatives must be working._

My eyes close of their own accord, leaving my mind to drift into unconsciousness.

**Chapter 1**

Steamy clouds parted like a drawn curtain; a fireball one hundred meters across flew over my squad's position illuminating the streets for kilometers. I traced the line of flames back to a faint outline of a brute warship in low orbit.

I peered through my SRS99C – DM modified scope and saw the brutes falling back to their warships. Another glassing, another lost colony world.

My helmets com set broke its long maintained silence "Knife Squad, time to pack up and head back." The LT sounded resigned. "There's nothing we can do now, don't worry we'll get another shot at 'em."

I stood up, and stretched a bit. The LT's voice said "Hey Orion, we only have a few hours until the planets gone." "I know, I know, calm down a bit El-Tee." I responded. "I'm on my way."

I started into a jog sliding down the rope I had climbed earlier to get up to my vantage point. My gloves gave me enough friction for me not to break my legs as I reached bottom. I continued at a jog through an alley, I could probably keep it up for hours. I spent the next 5 minutes maneuvering carefully through abandoned avenues and ransacked sidewalks. About 3 blocks from the rally point, I heard a low groaning sound from the store to my left.

Turning my head I saw a low red gleam from the dim confines of the convenience store. I entered and heard a low grunt. My eyes followed the sound to the gleam I saw earlier.

It was a Brute, apparently injured. His gaze met mine through a haze of pain. It noticed what I was and struggled to get up. His legs were buckling, unable to bear his weight. He kept struggling to get upright.

"Goddamn Orion get to the rally point now!"

"One sec LT I'm investigating something"

"I don't care what you're investigating -" I turned my radio off.

_What should I do with him_,I wondered to myself

_Mercy kill? Nah, that would be too humane for his kind._

_The planet is going up in flames._

_Yes just leave him here to be burned on his self wrought pyre._

Mental argument over with I turned to leave and walked to the door. "Hur hur hur hurh" the Brute seemed to be in hysterics. I turned around and saw the reason why.

The brute was holding one of those spikers; it was aimed right at me.

"_Jesus Christ" _I muttered.

The Brute fired one spike left in the gun I brought my M6 pistol up just as I was hit in the abdomen by the spike.

I fell to the ground nearly blacking out from pain. I refocused and shot the Brute through his skull.

_That's gonna hurt in the morning_.

I turned my com back on and managed to say "LT I need a corpsman" before I blacked out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

_41 Hours later…_

"98, 99, 100", I laid back down after my third set of sit-ups. Sweeping my eyes across the room I see a few elites working out along with a few marines. In the far corner Pvt. Spencer and an Elite are sparring. The Elite wasn't losing.

"Blargh" roared the elite as he went into a complicated series of arm flailing, slowing it down so his human counterpart wouldn't be splattered across the floor.

Chuckling under my breath, I continued my visual survey. Eyes drifting toward a certain officer on a treadmill. Lieutenant Samantha Walker. Otherwise known as the LT.

I stand up and walk over to her sidestepping a Private and an Elite engaged in a push-up contest. One guess as to who was winning.

I continued towards the LT dodging a few more clumps of exercisers. Stopping I lean against the wall, a few feet from the treadmill. Her tan skin glistening with sweat, black hair accenting her stunning green eyes as she turned to look at me.

_Дерево_I thought as her dazzling jade eyes captured mine.

_Get a hold of yourself._

"Hey LT, how are you doing?" She stopped the treadmill and hopped off. Her eyes flicked around the room.

_She must be mad at me for the stunt still._

"Will you please talk to me?" I tried once again.

Breathing out a sigh of frustration her eyes met mine again. Shifting her weight, obviously exasperated with me she said "You're a good marine with bad habits Orion", "You can't just run off and go lone wolf all the time." She took a breath. Obviously angry with me, she crossed her arms and gave me the death glare. If you haven't seen the LT's death glare be glad you that you can say you haven't felt her mesmerizing eyes turn sharp as flint.

Having been on the receiving end of the glare so many times for my… well considerably impressive antics, I'm genuinely surprised my brain hasn't had an aneurysm. You may think that I'm exaggerating. Well it's up to you I suppose.

I being myself had to inhale sharply and keep my emotions under control. Just so I didn't drown myself in those eyes. Looking downwards, struggling to keep my calm façade up. Taking a breath, I looked back up "I did what I thought was right Lieutenant, I've paid my price for not following orders. Look at my hand, what do you see?" At this she stepped back her glare melting only to be replaced by a look of surprise. "Oh god – I didn't know-" she said quietly averting her eyes in shame.

"That's right; I bet you never even asked the doctor what the diagnosis was eh? You never stopped to think that maybe the reason that I actually consented to the med bay was not the spike round." At this her eyes started to glisten with tears. I continued in a softer tone. "You know me LT, I hate hospitals."

I looked around. Most of the heads in the room were turned towards the two of us. I turned around. "Wait", she protested weakly. I stalked away saying just loud enough for her to hear "For what".

**A/N: **Well then… What's up with his hand? How will it affect the plot? What will the LT do?

To tell you the truth I have absolutely no idea. So… Review.


End file.
